The son of an African prince, Venture Smith, was captured at the age of eight and shipped to America to be sold as a slave. One of the few surviving slave narratives of the colonial period of American history. Smith's story gives us valuable insight as to how Africans were captured by black slaves traders and transported.
Smith recounted his oral ihstory when he was an old man living in Connecticut.
Read the excerpt"A Slave Tells of His Capture in Africa in 1798" and answer the following question:
1. How does Venture Smith's oral history our historical narrative regarding slavery? How does teh personalization of one preson's eslavement affect our understanding of what slavery meant?
2. Why would Africans be involved in selling thier fellow countrymen into slavery? What would be their motivations?
Suscribirse a:
Enviar comentarios (Atom)
1. How does Venture Smith's oral history inform our historical narrative regarding slavery? How does teh personalization of one preson's eslavement affect our understanding of what slavery meant?
ResponderEliminarit made me see that they weren't always taken by force. well, they were forced to leave their homes, but once they saw no chance of escape some complied. this shows us how fear was the biggest weapon used by the traders, and it also lets us see how terribly inhumane it was. having an eye witness account makes it all the more real, because it's not just facts from a history book; you feel the emotions, and smells, and tastes of what they went through.
2. Why would Africans be involved in selling thier fellow countrymen into slavery? What would be their motivations?
maybe it was just the job that presented its self to them. we have to keep in mind that the men doing this were probably doing it out of neccessity. now that doesn't make it right but it does take on a different perspective. or, as shown in some of the articles we had to read, it could have been because it was simply a part of their culture. many people didn't see anything wrong with it. another motive for doing this could have been for all the goods and money that they got for the slaves. man is very greedy when he sees things he doesn't have but wants. (could have been a combo of all three also)
-joanna
1. The narrative describes the disturbing truth behind the slave trade. By knowing an individual's story rather than random people you know nothing about, it makes it a lot easier to learn and feel sympathy for other people.
ResponderEliminar2. There are a few reasons why an African may take part in the slave trade. they might need money to survive, they could also be trying to increase their standard of living, (they were ambitious, but in the wrong way). Another possibility, is that being apart of the slave trade they could escape the chance of being sent to the Americas. in the end what they did was wrong.
1. The narrative speaks about the horrors of slavery with description.
ResponderEliminarVenure Smith decribes how he was captured at the age of eight and saw many tortured. if an 8 yr old witness that today he would be mentaly ill for most of his life. telling his story with detail gives one a vivid picture of what happend, creating sympathy. understanding ones feelings about a situation effects you too even though you never have felt the same way,one
pictures themself in his place.
2. Africans involved in selling thier fellow countrymen could be bribed into it. They could tell the African that they wont be capture and used as a slave and will give him everything he wants.
Or the african could have been exiled and hate his countrymen for what they did to him and would volunteer to do it.
Or they just plain dont want to die.
~Ashley
1. How does Venture Smith's oral history our historical narrative regarding slavery? How does the personalization of one person's enslavement affect our understanding of what slavery meant?
ResponderEliminarIt shows an in-depth look at what enslavement really was. To explain the details and information behind Venture Smith's story is to really see the horrors and misery of that practice of that time. Personalizing the story makes you feel much more for the person when you know the names and backgrounds behind the people dying.
2. Why would Africans be involved in selling their fellow countrymen into slavery? What would be their motivations?
The Africans were bribed and paid well. They didn't enslave their own people because they necessarily wanted to, but they wanted money.
-Lauren
1. This story shows how brutal and forceful the slave trade was. It also shows the importance of freedom to the black people while at the same time it shows how important the power and the having the slaves was to the slave owners or invading europeans.
ResponderEliminar2.You'd think that there wouldn't be a reasonable answer on their account to sell their own countrymen, but it actaully made logical sense. For example, in the movie it showed (During the main character's story) that all of these men, women and children were being traded for goods. In this particular case it was technology and or GUNS. They seen the slaves as an object of opportunity for their trade of goods.
- Whitney Burney
Lauren- If they wanted money than how come it doesn't count as a choice to sell their own countrymen?
ResponderEliminarJoanna- I didn't even think about fear being such a big factor, but it makes a lot of sense now that I've thought about it
Ashley- I never thought about how hearing an individual story creates sympathy for the slave trades victims. It seems as we uncovered each individual storiy ,like these we did seem to feel more and more for them same with the holocaust.
Whitney Burney
Whitney Burney
i am the 2nd comment,
ResponderEliminar-Roya Oliai
1. How does Venture Smith's oral history our historical narrative regarding slavery? How does the personalization of one preson's enslavement affect our understanding of what slavery meant?
ResponderEliminarit shows us how they were treated and what they had to go through when they were captured.
2. Why would Africans be involved in selling thier fellow countrymen into slavery? What would be their motivations?
some of the africans might have done it for money or guns
-Javier
I think Joanna, was right when she said that fear was the biggest and most powerrful weapon used.
ResponderEliminarJavier could you elaborate on your answers, especially on the second question.
-Roya
I agree with you Lauren. When you give great detail you use your imagination to put yourself in thier position, and knowing who they are gives even greater effect.
ResponderEliminar~Ashley
whitney
ResponderEliminari really like your comment
it looks like you reallly thougt about it
-Javier
whitney: it's true when you said that to the traders the africans were just a "thing" to buy and sell. they didn't think of them as people. (good point)
ResponderEliminarAshley: i didn't really understand when you said, "Or they just plain dont want to die." it's not like ALL the africans were dying. a lot of them were being taken as slaves and what not but there were still people in africa. it's not as if it was either be a trader or die. (not so cut and dry)
-joanna